Santa’s job description got bigger this year in Indonesia. Reuters reports:
Santa isn’t just filling stockings in Indonesia. He’s also checking packages for bombs in the world’s most populous Muslim nation where authorities are gearing up to prevent possible militant attacks.
More than two dozen hotel security men dressed like Santa Claus in red outfits with white trims used metal detectors to inspect cars entering a five-star hotel in the heart of Jakarta, where malls and hotels are all dressed up for Christmas.
As policemen with machine guns looked on, some of Jakarta’s Santas frisked visitors and opened bags to check for any unwanted Christmas gifts.
“We’re doing this to celebrate Christmas. Hopefully, we can do this again next time,” Nyoman, one of the 27 security guards dressed up as Santa Claus at Mandarin Hotel, told Reuters.
Indonesian police are gearing up to prevent possible terror attacks during the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, deploying 61,000 personnel throughout the archipelago, a senior police official said Friday.
Warning to terrorists: If you try anything, Santa is armed and he will sleigh you.